1. Field
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus capable of attaching/detaching a process cartridge.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image forming apparatus using electrophotography prints an image on a recording medium by supplying toner to an electrostatic latent image formed on a photoreceptor to form a visible toner image on the photoreceptor, transferring the visible toner image to the recording medium, and fusing the transferred visible toner image on the recording medium.
A process cartridge is an assembly of components for forming a visible toner image, and is a consumable product that may be detachable from a body of an image forming apparatus and replaceable after a life is ended. An integrated process cartridge includes a photoreceptor and contains toner to be supplied to the photoreceptor. However, an amount (life) of toner contained in the integrated process cartridge may be shorter than a life of the photoreceptor. Since a life of the integrated process cartridge may be dependent upon the amount of toner contained therein, after the toner is all used up, the integrated process cartridge may have to be replaced even if the life of the photoreceptor is not expired, thereby increasing consumable product costs for a user.
In order to reduce consumable product costs, a separable process cartridge may be desired so that a photoreceptor cartridge including a photoreceptor and a development cartridge containing toner are individually replaced.